Greenfield high school is slowly starting to become a hot spot in the state of North Carolina. Before, it was the duo of Coby White and Elijah McCadden that highlighted one of the top programs in the state of North Carolina last year.
Now, head coach Rob Salter and the Knights have found their next rising star, which has helped them secure a 29-4 overall record. 2020 6’5 Dji Bailey has been making a name for himself throughout the state and can now say he owns his first offer, with more to come.
When Phenom Hoops first saw him heading into his sophomore season, we had this to say:
“Bailey received a lot of playing time as a freshman and will be ready to make major contributions his sophomore season. He has good shooting mechanics and can knock down the perimeter shots with consistency.”
One year later, our own Jamie Shaw wrote this about him after seeing his game continuing to develop.
“While Lebo could be the most productive player on the team, it is 6’5″ junior Dji Bailey who may be the best prospect. Blessed with a natural basketball frame, wide shoulders and long arms. He is an incredibly skilled wing who can pass, shoot or handle the ball. It will be interesting to see what role he takes on this team with his ability to create for others as well as shoot the ball. Looking at his college prospects moving forward, it will be interesting about how much stronger he gets. Without question, he should already be sitting on Division 1 offers, and having schools at every D1 level coming through.”
Now, the junior has earned his first high-major offer from Danny Manning and Wake Forest and he couldn’t be more excited about the opportunity.
“I was excited and I know I’ve got to keep working because the ACC is the best basketball conference in the country,” Bailey told Phenom Hoops. “I’ve got a really good relationship with Assistant Coach Woodberry and I’ve been talking a lot with Coach Manning recently. I really like the campus and the facilities.”
Bailey has put in the work to earn that first scholarship but he knows he must continue to work on his overall game, as well as work on his strength and polishing his game up. However, don’t be surprised if you start hearing his name even more with the talent he has shown, and programs are continuing to show interest his way.
“I’ve just lived in the gym the last two years and Coach David West and Coach Salter have always told me to find a way to make an impact of the floor,” he said. “I’ve worked with my trainer to improve every aspect of my game from getting to the rim, getting stronger, and developing a more consistent jumper. My main goals have been to get a D1 scholarship and play in college as well as get an education.”
Bailey mentioned that the programs he has been hearing the most from are Wake Forest, George Mason, Rice, East Carolina, UNCG, South Florida, Wofford, UNCW, and Princeton. That list could continue to grow this summer as well.
But no matter what, Bailey is trending upward and programs are starting to realize his ultimate potential as a 6’5 guard on the floor. So, don’t be shocked if his name continues to trend in the coming months.
Greenfield coach Rob Salter:
“Dji has grown physically and mentally as a player. Dji is about 6’6 now. He has a great basketball IQ and is a terrific passer. His teammates love playing with him because he always gets them the ball. He makes his teammates better. He is getting stronger every day and he runs the team, while also becoming more vocal now. Dji is a point guard that fills up the stat sheet. He scores, passes, and rebounds the ball for his position. His best basketball is ahead of him and it is going to be fun to continue to watch him grow as a player.”
Phenom Hoops Miles Masercola:
“He’s a sweet shooting, lengthy combo guard that now has an opportunity to truly standout and should see a major boost in his recruitment throughout. He’s a classic stat-sheet stuffer that is a walking triple double threat and is starting to see a spike in interest throughout the region”